February 27 -
March 12, 2008
Plan your departure from the U.S. for
February 26 or earlier
Plan your departure from Argentina for March 13 or later
March 15-29, 2008
Plan your departure from the U.S. for
March 14 or earlier
Plan your departure from Argentina for March 30 or later
March 14-28, 2009
Plan your departure from the U.S. for
March 13 or earlier
Plan your departure from Argentina for March 29 or later
March 1-12, 2008
Plan your departure from the U.S. for
February 29 or earlier
Plan your departure from Argentina for March 13 or later
March 18-29, 2008
Plan your departure from the U.S. for
March 17 or earlier
Plan your departure from Argentina for March 30 or later
March 17-28, 2009
Plan your departure from the U.S. for
March 16 or earlier
Plan your departure from Argentina for March 29 or later
Printable
version of itinerary
Discover the
best mountain hikes in Argentine and Chilean Patagonia! On this trip,
you'll sample trails in three distinct portions of Patagonia. In
northern Patagonia's "Lake District" a wonderland of deep forests and
cobalt lakes adorn the feet of the craggy peaks of the Andes in
Argentina’s Nahuel Huapi National Park. In southern
Patagonia the iconic spires of Monte Fitzroy, Cerro Torre and the Torres
del Paine massifs pierce the wind-scrubbed skies above the Patagonian
icecap. Finally, majestic fjord and mountain landscapes await in the
Fuegian Andes on the
island of Tierra del Fuego at the tip of the South American continent.
In each of these areas we've assembled a series of hikes
that deliver "mountain and view" experiences so you can thrill
to some of the planet's most exciting mountain landscapes! Most evenings
will be spent in comfortable inns and "hosterias." You'll spend two nights
in comfortable, fully-supported backcountry camps in the heart of the Los Glaciares
National Park, an experience we know will enrich your travel experience
in these wild lands at the end of the earth! |
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5
Your lodgings in Bariloche! |
Day 1
Overnight in Bariloche
Dinner included
Arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina and connect with your flight to Bariloche in the Argentine Lake District. You will be met on arrival in
Bariloche and transported to a four-star hotel just outside Bariloche town
directly on the shores of the lovely Lago Nahuel Huapi. Settle into your
superior room for a comfortable three-night stay! A welcome dinner in the
hotel's restaurant awaits you this evening. |
Day 2
Overnight in Bariloche
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Travel by 4WD vehicle into the mountains. Hike to the peaks of Cerro Lopez
and Pico Turista
at the northern end of the Nahuel Huapi Traverse. Enjoy panoramic views over
the lake-studded parklands of Nahuel Huapi. Andean condors can sometimes be
seen here, and on a clear day, the view westward extends to the symmetrical,
snowcapped summit of Volcan Osorno in Chile! A more challenging option takes
you beyond Cerro Lopez through spectacular mountain landscapes to the
Refugio Segre perched on the rock-rimmed shores of Laguna Negra. Just beyond
the lake, descend via the Arroyo Goye to the shores of Lago Perito Moreno
and return by vehicle to Bariloche.
Day 3
Overnight in Bariloche
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
This morning, ascend by cable car or chairlift up to the high
ridge near the Punta Nevada. Follow a trail past the bristling mountain
spires of the Cerro Catedral to the Refugio Frey; this hike is part of the
classic Nahuel Huapi Traverse. From Refugio Frey, descend the Arroyo Van
Titter to Villa Catedral. A short shuttle ride returns you to Bariloche. |
5
El Calafate lodgings. |
Day 4
Overnight in El Calafate
Breakfast & dinner included
12-Day Option begins this day
Morning at leisure. Transfer to Bariloche Airport for an afternoon
flight to the old wool trading station of El Calafate on the southern shore
of the enormous Lago Argentino. Upon arrival in El Calafate,
transfer to your hotel. Remainder of afternoon is at your leisure in El Calafate. |
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5 The
Glaciar Perito Moreno.
(A. Sagripanti)
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Day 5
Overnight in El Chalten
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Spend morning visiting the
viewpoints at the Perito Moreno Glacier in the Los Glaciares National Park,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later, travel by vehicle to the Fitzroy Sector
of Los Glaciares park. Spend the evening in a lodge in the village of El Chalten
whose unpaved streets lend it the air of a frontier town. |
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5 Cerro
Torre (center) & Monte Fitzroy (right of center) seen from the road to El Chalten.
(A. Sagripanti)
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Day 6
Overnight at Laguna
Torre Camp
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Hike along Cerro Torre trail
following the course of the Rio Fitzroy bound for Laguna Torre Camp in the
heart of Los Glaciares National Park. The trail passes through open
scrublands and scattered stands of lenga and ńirre, both
varieties of the southern beech (Nothofagus sp). Once you reach the
camp, a short walk over a glacial moraine brings you to the shores of the
Laguna Torre. Weather permitting, you'll enjoy a spectacular view of the thin,
granite spire of the Cerro Torre reflected in the waters of this glacier-fed
lake (icebergs are often seen floating in the lake). Enjoy the evening in
Laguna Torre Camp. You'll be close to nature and fully immersed in the grand
spectacle that is the Patagonian Andes!
Day 7
Overnight at Laguna Capri Camp
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
After breakfast, you'll have the opportunity to ascend the rugged
trail to the Mirador Maestri for stunning views of the serrated mountain
wall known as the Cordón Adela rising above the Glaciar Torre, a tongue of
the Patagonian icefield. The Cordón Adela is comprised of several ice and
snow-encrusted pinnacles including the famous Cerro Torre. After admiring
the view, return to Laguna Torre and hike via the Madre and Hija lakes to
arrive at Laguna Capri Camp. The view of Monte Fitzroy rising above the
serene waters of Laguna Capri is outstanding! The campsite at Laguna Capri
has been called one of the finest wilderness campsites in South America!
Enjoy another evening amidst the splendor of the mountains!
Day 8
Overnight at El Chalten
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Hike up the spur trail to the Fitzroy Viewpoint and
the Laguna de los Tres for the picture postcard views of Monte Fitzroy. You
may feel this view alone is "worth the journey" to Patagonia!
Descend into the valley of the Rio Blanco and continue to the Laguna Piedras
Blancas where you can admire the spectacle of the icefalls of the Piedras
Blancas Glacier spilling into the lake. The landscape here is rocky, bleak
and austere, but powerful and inspiring all the same! Follow the course of
the Rio Blanco through southern beech woodlands to its confluence with
the Rio Electrico. From this point, travel by vehicle back to El Chalten and
settle in for a two-night stay. |
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5 Monte
Fitzroy! (A. Sagripanti)
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Day 9
Overnight at El
Chalten
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Hike to the Loma del Pliegue
Tumbado, a broad ridge south of the Rio Fitzroy. The views from atop the
Loma del Pliegue Tumbado are frequently considered some of the finest in the region!
This hike will take you through a variety of environments including
Patagonian steppe, lenga forests and the marshlands known as
mallín. From the open ridgetop, the 360 degree views can be
overwhelming! You'll be surrounded by a panorama of soaring peaks, glaciers
spilling into immense turquoise lakes and the vast Patagonian steppe
stretching away to the east. Overnight
at a lodge in El Chalten.
Day 10
Overnight
at Torres de Paine National Park, Chile (Cerro Paine area)
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Today, travel across the Patagonian steppes to the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Overnight in a
very comfortable lodge (hosteria) on an old estancia within the
national park. |
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5 The
unbridled majesty of the Torres del Paine is alone worth the journey! (Photo
by John Osaki)
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Day 11
Overnight
at Torres de Paine National Park, Chile (Cerro Paine area)
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
From the door of the lodge, depart on a hike to
the renowned Torres del Paine Lookout. This is unquestionably the most
spectacular hike in the national park. Ascend the narrow valley of the
Rio Ascencio framed by the peaks of Cerro Paine and Cerro Almirante Nieto.
The route passes through heath meadows and dwarf lenga forests before
reaching the Campamento Torres (used by climbers as a base camp). The route
steepens and threads it way through boulders and to reach the Torres del
Paine Lookout. Enjoy the stupendous and "never-to-be-forgotten" view of the
Torres del Paine, three massive granite towers that ring a glacier-carved,
lake-filled cirque. The tallest tower, the Torre de Agostini, rises to a
height of 9,350 feet. When you're ready, retrace your steps to the
comfort of the hosteria. |
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5 The
Cuernos del Paine rise above the waters of Lago Pehoe. (Photo by Jan
Kessler )
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Day 12
Overnight at Torres
de Paine National Park, Chile (Lago Pehoe area)
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Travel by vehicle to the Pudeto boat dock on Lago Pehoe. Motor across the
lake to its western tip from where you'll begin a hike into the valley of
the Rio del Francés. The hike into the Francés Valley which separates the
Cuernos del Paine from the massive peak of Cerro Paine Grande is a
"not-to-be-missed" excursion to one of Torres del Paine's scenic wonders!
The route skirts the western shore of Lago Skottsberg under the hanging
glaciers of Cerro Paine Grande before heading south into the Francés Valley
proper. The route crosses a boulder-strewn area before arriving at a natural
viewpoint. Directly across the valley is the hanging Francés Glacier which
periodically sends chunks of ice crashing into the valley. To the east, the
craggy summits of the Cuernos del Paine ("Horns of Paine") rise in splendor
while down-valley views extend all the way to the enormous Lago del Toro on
the southern perimeter of Torres del Paine Park. Retrace your steps to the
boat dock, ferry across the lake, and check into a simple, but spectaculary-sited
hosteria on the shores of windswept Lago Pehoe. |
Day 13
Overnight
at Torres de Paine National Park, Chile (Lago Pehoe area)
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Travel by vehicle to the south shore of Lago Grey. A hike will
allow you to explore the gray sand beach at the south end of the lake,
littered with blue icebergs calved from the Grey Glacier at the opposite end
of the lake. Hikers in search of a more vigorous outing can hike to a
viewpoint on the eastern shore of Lago Grey which affords a stunning
panoramic view over Lago Grey and the Grey Glacier. Return to the
hosteria at Lago Pehoe for the evening. |
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5 Beached
icebergs at Lago Grey, Torres del Paine, Chile. (Photo by John
Osaki )
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Day 14
Overnight
at Ushuaia
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Depart Torres del Paine National Park this morning to travel by vehicle back to
El Calafate. From El Calafate, fly to Ushuaia, Argentina, the principal town on the storied
island of Tierra del Fuego. Overnight in a comfortable hotel in Ushuaia.
Day 15
Overnight
at Ushuaia
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Sample the trails of
Argentina's Tierra del Fuego National Park. The hikes to Cerro Pampa Alta or Cerro Guanaco
(on what are sometimes known as "the ridges at the end of the world") both offer spectacular views over the Beagle Channel to the Peninsula Dumas
and Isla Navarino in Chile. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening; overnight in Ushuaia. Depart Ushuaia
tomorrow afternoon for your flight home or onward connections. |
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Buenos Aires (Photo: J.Osaki) |
Please note
that because this trip officially starts in Bariloche, Argentina, an overview tour of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, is not included
in as part of this trip. If you wish to experience Argentina's vibrant
capital (and attend a tango performance), we suggest you plan to
arrive in Buenos Aires two days before the start of the trip. We will organize a half-day "Buenos
Aires Highlights" tour (additional cost) for those who are
interested. We can also help you with any overnight accommodations you
require in Buenos Aires prior to the start of your Patagonia adventure. (We
will also be happy to make arrangements for a "Buenos Aires Highlights" tour
for those arriving in Buenos Aires in advance of the 12-day version of this
trip.) |
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Other Details about this Trip
Trip Dates (2 departures in 2008; 1 departure in 2009):
■
February 27 - March
12, 2008 (Trip Leaders:
John Osaki and two Argentine hiking guides throughout the trip).
■
March 15-29, 2008
(Trip Leaders: John Osaki or Walking Softly escort and
two Argentine hiking guides throughout the trip).
■
March 14-28, 2009
(Trip Leaders: John Osaki or Walking Softly escort and
two Argentine hiking guides throughout the trip).
Price: $5,395 (for
2008 departures; 2009 price TBA)
Single Room for entire trip: $1,450
(Single
accommodations are subject to availability and may be limited.)
Meeting Point: Bariloche, Argentina (connect through Buenos Aires,
Argentina)
Departure Point: Ushuaia, Argentina (flights to the U.S. connect in
Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Accommodations: Thirteen nights in small hotels/inns (3, 4 and
5-star); all rooms with private bath.
Two nights in fully supported backcountry camps in the Monte
Fitzroy area of the Los Glaciares National Park. Sleeping
quarters at the camps will be in 3-person igloo-style tents
which will each house either a single traveler or two persons
who are traveling together. A sleeping bag and insulating
mattress along with a cotton liner will be provided. The camps
also feature a dining tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or
chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware. Sanitary facilities are available. Fifteen breakfasts, thirteen
box lunches, and fifteen dinners are included.
Trip Dates (2 departures in 2008; 1 departure in 2009):
■
March 1-12, 2008 (Trip Leaders:
John Osaki and two Argentine hiking guides throughout the trip).
■
March 18-29, 2008 (Trip
Leaders: John Osaki or Walking Softly escort and two Argentine
hiking guides throughout the trip).
■
March 17-28, 2009 (Trip
Leaders: John Osaki or Walking Softly escort and two Argentine
hiking guides throughout the trip).
Price: $4,995 (for
2008 departures; 2009 price TBA)
Single Room for entire trip: $1,150
(Single
accommodations are subject to availability and may be limited.)
Meeting Point: El Calafate, Argentina (connect through Buenos Aires,
Argentina)
Departure Point: Ushuaia, Argentina (flights to the U.S. connect in
Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Accommodations: Ten nights in small hotels/inns (3, 4 and 5-star); all rooms with private bath.
Two nights in fully supported backcountry camps in the Monte
Fitzroy area of the Los Glaciares National Park. Sleeping
quarters at the camps will be in 3-person igloo-style tents
which will each house either a single traveler or two persons
who are traveling together. A sleeping bag and insulating
mattress along with a cotton liner will be provided. The camps
also feature a dining tent, a kitchen tent, tables, benches or
chairs and a full set of table service and kitchenware. Sanitary facilities are available. Twelve breakfasts, eleven box lunches, and
twelve dinners are included.
Airfare (international and Argentina domestic flights) is not included in the trip price. Because of the
complexity of the flight arrangements within Argentina, we will
gladly help you to find and purchase the best airfares available
from your U.S. gateway. Assuming that you use either New York or
Miami as your U.S. departure point, the total estimated cost of
airfare for this trip is $1,450; this
includes the round trip international flights from either New
York or Miami to Buenos Aires plus all domestic flights within
Argentina. From West Coast U.S. gateways, the total airfare cost
will be approximately $1,800. If you are able to secure a
frequent flyer award ticket from the U.S. to Buenos Aires, the
estimated cost for all flights needed within Argentina is $660
for the 15-day trip and $350 for the 12-day trip.
Adding a day or two in Ushuaia: Please note that because
this trip involves only one full day on Tierra del Fuego, you
may wish to consider extending you stay in Ushuaia by one or two
days if you wish to relax or take part in other activities such
as a boat cruise on the Beagle Channel. Other possibilities
include visits to the Museo del Fin del
Mundo whose collections document the history of the
region, and the Yamana Museum,
a small museum that focuses on the story of Tierra del Fuego's
native peoples (the Yamana, Alakaluf, Selk'Nam and Haush). Note
that it may be possible to visit one of these museums on March
13 or March 30 before flying out of Ushuaia. |
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Author David Ebershoff writes about the resurgence of
Buenos Aires in the wake of its disastrous 2001 financial collapse. Read
more about the Argentine capital's "profound and thrilling makeover" in "Buenos Aires in Bloom" in the
February 2007 issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
